January 2017

In late December 2016, the Australian Commission for Quality in Health Care (the Commission) advised their plans to develop a national model clinical governance framework to be used by clinicians, managers, executives, governing bodies and state and territory departments of health as a guide to support effective corporate governance and improve the safety and quality of care. The Commission have based the clinical governance framework is based on the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, in particular the Clinical Governance for Health Service Organisations Standard and the Partnering with Consumers Standard.

Clinical governance ensures accountability and transparency across all disciplines of health care, supporting staff to ensure patients and the community receive high standards of quality care and service provision, and quality improvements are continuously reviewed, monitored and implemented.

Good clinical governance ensures that the community and the health service organisation can be confident that systems are in place to deliver safe and high-quality care and continuously improve services.

A high-level advisory panel has been formed to advise the Commission in developing the framework, comprising senior clinicians, health service executives, representatives from health service boards, jurisdictional representatives and other experts. The panel is chaired by Ms Wendy Harris QC, a member of the Commission’s Board.

The framework will help ensure that patients receive safe and high-quality care, and that the community is confident in the delivery of that care.

The framework will be supported by additional resources for specific target audiences including members of governing bodies such as boards, clinicians and consumers.